Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Henrico County, VA

Airbnb listings are allowed in Henrico County, VA, but with restrictions. Short-term rentals are allowed only in the owner’s primary residence and only in One-Family Residence Districts (R-0 through R-4A) and the A-1 Agricultural District; not permitted in townhouse or multifamily districts. Hosted stays (owner present) in the principal dwelling are allowed by right if the lot has at least 80 feet of street frontage, no more than six renters occupy the property at a time, and total rental days do not exceed 60 per calendar year; other situations (unhosted stays, guesthouses, >6 guests, <80 ft frontage, >60 days/yr) require a conditional use permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Additional requirements include minimum 1-day rental periods, check-in/out between 7:00 am and 11:00 pm, life-safety equipment per building code, posting of address/contact/emergency info inside the dwelling, a designated responsible adult to respond to complaints, a limit of three pets, and recordkeeping to provide records to County on request. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rentals are allowed only in the owner’s primary residence and only in One-Family Residence Districts (R-0 through R-4A) and the A-1 Agricultural District; not permitted in townhouse or multifamily districts. Hosted stays (owner present) in the principal dwelling are allowed by right if the lot has at least 80 feet of street frontage, no more than six renters occupy the property at a time, and total rental days do not exceed 60 per calendar year; other situations (unhosted stays, guesthouses, >6 guests, <80 ft frontage, >60 days/yr) require a conditional use permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Additional requirements include minimum 1-day rental periods, check-in/out between 7:00 am and 11:00 pm, life-safety equipment per building code, posting of address/contact/emergency info inside the dwelling, a designated responsible adult to respond to complaints, a limit of three pets, and recordkeeping to provide records to County on request.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Henrico County. 1) Determine zoning eligibility: if the rental meets hosted-by-right criteria no zoning approval is required; otherwise apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a Conditional Use Permit (public hearing, neighbor notification). 2) Complete the County’s two-phase registration: zoning approval (when required) and online short-term residential registry via Henrico’s Permit Center/finance pages. 3) Pay the stated registry fee ($200 annual registry fee); if a Conditional Use Permit is required, pay the $300 CUP application fee.

1) Determine zoning eligibility: if the rental meets hosted-by-right criteria no zoning approval is required; otherwise apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a Conditional Use Permit (public hearing, neighbor notification). 2) Complete the County’s two-phase registration: zoning approval (when required) and online short-term residential registry via Henrico’s Permit Center/finance pages. 3) Pay the stated registry fee ($200 annual registry fee); if a Conditional Use Permit is required, pay the $300 CUP application fee.

Vrbo is permitted in Henrico County, VA under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Henrico County are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Henrico County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.